


Afternoon Delight

by thesalmondean



Series: Interludes [4]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: 2016 Summer Olympics, Body Image, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual adoration, light fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-08-08 10:10:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7753612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesalmondean/pseuds/thesalmondean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robert catches Aaron watching synchronized platform diving and a bit of angst follows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Afternoon Delight

**Author's Note:**

> I'm taking great liberties with time zones and guessing completely about television coverage in England of the Rio Olympics. I'm not privy to when and how Olympics are shown over yonder way, so I hope you, my dear readers, don't mind if what I describe herein is totally bogus.

Robert opened the door at the back entrance of the pub and was immediately greeted with the sound of droning chatter and muted cheers. Curious, Robert set his briefcase on the bottom stair and pulling loose the knot of his tie he pushed open the door, already slightly ajar, that led into the living area at the back of the pub.

The announcers and cheering grew louder, and Robert smiled as he took in the scene before him; Aaron perched on the edge of the couch, elbows on his knees while the telly showed a far away shot of a large pool and several tall platforms of different heights. Suddenly the scene on the television changed, and Robert was looking at two very fit men in tiny Speedos walking to the edge of one of the platforms.

"Nice," Aaron murmured and Robert let out a breathy laugh.

"I didn't know you were a fan of platform diving," he said, grinning wide at the way Aaron leapt up from his perch, spinning on his heels to face Robert.

"Hiya," Aaron nodded, a very slight flush creeping up his cheeks before fading. The entire moment endeared Aaron to Robert more than he thought ever possible.

"I was just on me dinner break."

Robert maintained his grin as he moved around to take a seat on the couch, unbuttoning the top two buttons of his shirt in the process. He looked at the television, but also watched Aaron out of the corner of his eye as the other man stood in place for a moment before resuming his spot on the couch, settling in beside Robert.

"So, uh, did your meetings go well?" Aaron asked, hands folded in his lap. Robert wanted to laugh at his adorable awkwardness.

The pair on the screen - from China, or so the graphics on screen said - completed a nearly perfectly synchronized dive and as they crawled out of the pool Robert could see why Aaron enjoyed watching this particular sport, and he was glad he'd gotten back from his meetings earlier than anticipated so he could watch with him.

"Uh, yeah. Good," Robert nodded, turning to look at Aaron briefly before looking back to the screen.

"Made two new contacts, got one new contract, and now I'm back early for this!" 

On the screen, the two American divers were now about to make an attempt. 

"Is this how you've been spending all your dinner breaks this week?" Robert asked as he leaned forward and pulled off his jacket, draping it over the arm of the sofa next to him.

"No...," Aaron replied, sounding like he wanted to say more but when Robert looked at him expectantly, he just shrugged.

"I mean, it's not a bad way to spend the afternoon if I'm honest," Robert said, falling back into the cushions of the sofa as the American's dove - _not quite as good as the Chinese_ , Robert thought - and then climbed out of the water dripping wet and muscles toned and rippling. 

"Yeah," Aaron agreed with some unease, but also sounding a bit less defensive. Robert felt Aaron looking at him and then a few moments later he settled back against the cushion, his shoulder pressing against Robert's; comforting.

"These lads coming up are well, well fit," he added as the duo from Great Britain appeared on the screen - Tom Daley and Daniel Goodfellow.

Robert nodded in agreement, but his good mood had begun faltering a bit in the wake of Aaron's proclamation. The two were very good looking, smooth skin and muscles toned and bodies flexible and...Robert looked down at his slightly paunchy tummy, accentuated because the way he was sitting, slumped back into the cushion. He began to wonder and worry - was Aaron into muscles? Did he wish Robert looked more like Andy, physically?

The British duo dove, and as the announcers blattered on and the scores were announced and the duo fell into third place behind the Chinese and the Americans, Robert grew increasingly concerned with his own body and appearance. Would Aaron tell him if he were too out of shape? Or would he just decide one day to find someone that better fit the body type he was attracted to? Some guy slim and muscular and unlike Robert in most ways? Shifting in place, Robert straightened his back slightly and pulled in his tummy so his shirt fell smooth. He knew he was still in good shape - he just had a little bit of extra weight around the middle from the winter, and now that he lived in the Woolpack it was easier to take advantage of Marlon's cooking for most of his meals and it would seem the extra calories were not his friend now that he was 30. Truth be told, he probably could stand to do some sit-ups, or lift some weights and try and work off the few extra pounds that popped out from his belly when he sat hunched over, like he was fond of doing.

Aaron must have noticed his fidgeting because he turned to look at Robert just as the announcers started talking about this last round of dives, and the places of all the various teams - there was a lot of analyzing of the British duo, along with several replays of the first two dives. It would seem they had no chance to win Gold or Silver, and there was a chance they could lose the Bronze to Germany or even Mexico, depending on which of the various teams were successful in their last dive.  

"You alright?" Aaron asked.

Robert felt him staring and immediately wondered if he was looking at his paunchy belly. It was an odd feeling, and one Robert couldn't remember having before - he'd always been proud of his body but for some reason, watching these divers and hearing Aaron admire them...

"All good," Robert nodded, flashing a quick smile at Aaron before turning back to the television to see the German team take their last dive.

"I hope we can medal. I still remember watching Tom Daley dive in twenty-twelve," Aaron said, turning back to the television and sitting forward once again. He was really invested in the event and if Robert weren't having his own kind of personal crisis over his physical appearance he would have teased him.

"But I was in France at the time so I missed a lot of the extra coverage."

Robert groaned inwardly, reminded that Aaron had lived in France, with a professional rugby player for a boyfriend. More muscles.

His anxiety over his appearance began to take a firmer hold as they watched the Mexicans, the Americans and then the Brits dive their last dives, all the while Aaron was making small side comments about the different teams' muscle tone, or the positions of their bodies, or the way they came out of the pool dripping wet and adjusting themselves. A small part of Robert was really enjoying the fact that Aaron was having a good time watching - but it was quickly being overridden by his anxiety. Finally, Aaron's harmless comments (and Robert _knew_ they were harmless, at least in the small part of his brain that was still thinking rationally) became too much for Robert and he sprang up from the sofa, yanking his tie clean off and tossing it onto the couch where he'd just been sitting.

"What?" Aaron stared up at him, a look of confusion on his face.

"I can't compete with that," Robert blurted, pacing in front of the television as the final standings were revealed; China won Gold, the United States won Silver, and Great Britain the Bronze. Robert would have been excited except he was completely obsessed with Aaron's comments.

"Compete with what?" Aaron asked, his expression still showing his confusion.

"That!" Robert indicated towards the television where the Bronze medalists were being interviewed. They were even more glorious up close and Robert sighed.

"Is that what you really like? Muscles?" Robert asked quietly, coming to a standstill in front of Aaron, hands hanging at his side. He felt defeated and he hated it. He felt inferior, physically, and he hated it. Neither of these were feelings he was at all prepared to face, and he was almost positive he'd never felt either before in his life. 

"What are you going on about?" Aaron stood, his head cocked slightly to the side and his face betraying his incredulity. Robert was glad for the transparent nature of Aaron's expressions sometimes - it reassured him.

"I'm not -," Robert sighed, "-I'm not like that. You know. Ripped, or whatever. Do you wish I was?"

Aaron laughed then, and Robert's face flushed in a heated rush, anger moving to replace the other emotions he'd been feeling.

"I don't see what's so funny?" he grumbled, taking a step back as Aaron stood and moved a step towards him.

"No," Aaron moved another step closer as his laughter faded. He reached out and grasped Robert's forearm before he could step away, "Robert. No."

"No?"

Aaron grasped Robert's other arm and ran his hands up to Robert's shoulders before cupping his face. It wasn't a typical Aaron move and Robert loved it. He immediately began to relax as Aaron's thumbs softly stroked Robert's cheeks.

"No," he repeated softly.

"You're perfect as you are," Aaron smiled - genuine and bright.

"I love your whole body -," Aaron kissed Robert then, softly. 

"- your legs -" a kiss, "- your arms -" kiss, " - your hands especially when they're on me -" a deeper, longer kiss, " - your freckled skin and your glorious chest -" Aaron dropped his hands from Robert's face to rest his palms on Robert's chest, rubbing his thumb over his nipples until they popped. Robert tried to control his breathing - it was the middle of the day and anyone could walk into the backroom at any moment and he was on his way to being more excited than he cared to be in a somewhat public place.

"Don't for one second think you aren't perfect as you are," Aaron leaned in and kissed lightly along Robert's jawline before finding his lips again.

Robert returned the kiss, pulling Aaron closer to him until the other man's arms were plastered between their bodies, pressed comfortingly against Robert's pectorals. He hoped Aaron could feel how hard and fast his heart was beating, and he hoped Aaron knew it only beat that hard and fast for him. He thought about telling him; how much he loved him and how much his happiness was intertwined with Aaron's love for him, and acceptance of him; his very existence.

Pulling apart, both more excited then was physically comfortable, Robert smiled - he felt silly for even momentarily thinking the way he had about himself, and about Aaron.

"For the record," Robert said in a breathy voice as he ran his hands up Aaron's shoulders and then down his chest, massaging as he went, "I'm a big fan of your body, too."

Aaron bit at his lower lip as he smiled, "wanna go upstairs?"

Robert grasped Aaron's hand and without a word pulled him from the room just as the opening bars of the Chinese Anthem began playing on the television. As they started up the stairs Robert glanced back into the room, on the television she saw the three teams on the podium and the respective flags of each nation rising and he thought to himself that they weren't all that after all. Not compared to the man he would soon be ravaging upstairs. 


End file.
